146 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 
tection, and under such conditions a forger must either be a skilful en- 
raver, or employ some person to engrave for him. This fact has gener- 
ally led to the detection of forgery; but you can easily imagine how 
justiy alarmed bankers will become when they learn that any one who 
understands what is ale chemical, that is to say, lithographic printing, 
may, with the aid of a zinc plate, a little nitric acid and a press, be 
able to produce such perfect fac-similes of notes and cheques as to ae 
the scrutiny of the most lynx-eyed of their clerks. You will agree 
with me that it would be wrong, if not criminal, to — \ the ps 
so dangerous a process to facilitate forgery, u unle ess I w t the sa 
time, to produce a safeguard which would absolutely aie such a 
tempts. 
‘ Notic e of the “ Ice Spring” in the Rocky Mountains, (froma 
Th 
States to Oregon and California. It is situated in low mars 
to the right of the Sweetwater river, and about forty miles from the 
South Pass. The ground is filled with springs and about eighteen 
inches beneath the turf, lies a smoot horizontal sheet of ice, 
which remains the year round, protected te “the soil and grass above it. 
At the time of our passing, July 12th, 1849, it was from two to four 
inches thick, but our guide told us that he had seen it a foot deep. It 
is perfectly clear r, and beautifully disposed in hexagonal prisms, sepa 
rating readily at the natural joints. he ice has a slightly. saline taste, 
the ground about it,as with the Sweetwater and Platte river countr 
generally, being impregnated with salts, and the water at one spot neat 
by tasted of sulphur. Not the least singular circumstance was t 
smoothness of the upper surface of the stratum, although formed be 
neath the soil. 
5. Mollusca of the West Indies.—Prof. C. B. Apvams of Amherst 
College, Mass., who has been engaged in personal explorations 0 of the 
sirous of obtaining further facts relating to the distribution of species 
and invites the codperation of any who are willing to aid him. He 
t 
. M. & Co., 
Specimens of doubtful locality would be of little value, and. the neo 8 
should be mioutely stated. In all cases when desired, he will retur® 
other shells in exchange, for — exchanges he is well furnished with 
species from all parts of the w f 
6. E ake in New Reuplaaily —On Saturday night, the Q7th o 
November last, near midnight, an earthquake was felt at Salem, et 
erly, Woburn, Groton and Wenham in Massachusetts, and also at 
eter in New Hampshire. The shock lasted about —— seconds, of 
aroused the people from their slumbers, causing a sensible shaking 
uses, ete. 
7. Fossil Elephant.—The Zanesville (Ohio) —_ reports the “A 
cent discovery of a fossil Elephant on se line of the Central 0 a 
railroad, on the river in the conmaiaa of ae in a toleradly 
begin te of preservation. This is the shindbof theensin apes 
as been discovered in this bank within a few years. One of the 
